Nutrient Control Actions for Improving Water Quality in the Mississippi River Basin and Northern Gulf of Mexico (2009) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 1-6
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The nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient discharges into the gulf's coastal waters derive from many different sources and many different watersheds across the river basin. Numerous federal and state regulatory regimes, organizations, and water quality standards govern nutrient loadings across the river basin and water quality in the Mississippi River and its tributaries.
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TARGETING ACTIONS IN PRIORITY WATERSHEDS Realizing progress toward reducing the areal extent of northern Gulf of Mexico hypoxia will require an acknowledgment that there will be a considerable time lag -- roughly a decade, at a minimum -- between nutrient reduction actions across the river basin and ecological and water quality responses downstream in the gulf. Purposeful targeting of nutrient control efforts toward areas of higher nutrient loadings will be essential to realize the greatest initial reductions in nutrient loadings.
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In addition to their evaluative and research dimension, the NCII projects have the potential to contribute to local water quality improvements. As part of the NCII, the EPA and USDA should identify a select group of Mississippi River basin priority watersheds for initial actions.
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MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF NUTRIENT CONTROL ACTIONS AND POLICIES Federal and state agencies across the Mississippi River basin sponsor a variety of water quality monitoring programs. At the federal level, much of the water quality monitoring across the Mississippi River basin is overseen by the U.S.
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The center should manage a basinwide water quality monitoring, assessment, and nutrient control program and should coordinate and facilitate the following functions: • Plan and administer the Nutrient Control Implementation Initiative (NCII) projects, including financing, evaluation, reporting, and communication of findings; • Conduct cooperative, basinwide water quality and land use monitoring and relevant analysis and research; • Develop a land use and land cover data base for the river basin; • Identify additional watersheds for future actions and inclusion in the NCII; • Provide advice on water quality variables and statistical approaches to be used in evaluating effectiveness of nutrient control actions; • Produce periodic reports on basinwide water quality assessment and on project implementation; • Provide technical assistance and training.
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Therefore, to augment the efforts of the Mississippi River Basin Water Quality Center, the EPA, the USGS, NOAA, and the Mississippi River basin states should strengthen their commitment to systematic, evaluation-oriented water quality monitoring for the northern Gulf of Mexico.
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